The Terrace
A study of the letter we call Ephesians.
Community Practices
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Preparation
Take turns having one person in the community commit to bringing bread and grape juice to share for communion on a given week. If you’re going for authenticity, use matzo (unleavened) bread. But really, any bread that everyone enjoys will do. Your first couple of times taking communion together in community, watch this video together before you take the bread and the cup.
Gather together as a community for dinner as usual, with the bread and the cup on the table alongside the evening meal. Have someone from your community volunteer to lead.
CommunionTo begin the evening meal, the leader will invite everyone to take a piece of bread and a glass of grape juice and will choose one of the following Scriptures to read:
Matthew 26:26–28
Mark 14:22–24
Luke 22:19–20
1 Corinthians 11:23–26
After reading one of the Scriptures, the leader will pray, giving thanks for the body and blood of Jesus. The leader might have everyone take each element individually, reciting the sacramental phrases, “ this is the body of Christ broken for you," and, "this is the blood of Christ shed for you,” before each element. Or, the leader might simply give thanks, then invite the group to eat and drink. With the sacrifice of Jesus in mind, everyone takes the bread and the cup, and then the community meal begins!
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Pray
Gather together as a community in a comfortable setting, then have one person read Ephesians 2:4-7 and invite the Holy Spirit to guide your time.
Recap
At various times throughout our lives, all of us will inevitably arrive at a crossroads of uncertainty, fear, or quiet longing for what might come next. The Apostle Paul had such a moment on the road to Damascus, when he encountered the risen Christ in a powerful way. He had been a violent persecutor of Christians, but was unexpectedly confronted by Jesus, transformed by grace, and sent on mission. Years later, after choosing to follow Jesus, Paul wrote a letter to the Ephesian church as a reminder of their identity and shared story, meant to guide disciples of Jesus forward in their journey.
But before his letter to the Ephesians, Paul stumbled his way through obedience to Christ, going on a journey from partial submission to fuller surrender. His story reminds us that salvation is initiated by Jesus, but requires a human response. Through persecution, obscurity, ministry, and imprisonment, Paul became an apostle whose life embodied both the messiness and faithfulness of discipleship. His letter to the Ephesians is an invitation for all believers to remember their story, gain perspective, and recognize that God is continually at work, even in complicated seasons.
We, as individuals, but also as a community, may very well be standing at the threshold of a new season. But rather than promising an easy or perfected Christian life, the invitation Paul gives us is toward steady, communal discipleship. We are called to walk together through uncertainty, choosing full obedience over partial listening, and trusting God with what lies ahead. Whether facing crisis, transition, or quiet curiosity about the future, the call is the same: remember the story, hold fast to grace, remain united in love, and allow the Spirit to prepare the church for whatever comes next.
Discuss
Discuss the following prompts as a group.
Where might you be standing at a crossroads in your life right now, and how is God inviting you to trust him with what’s next?
In what areas of your life could you be practicing partial obedience rather than full surrender to God?
How does Paul’s transformation remind you of God’s grace in your own story, and where have you seen him lead you in unexpected ways?
As you look toward the future, what would it look like for you to walk faithfully with Jesus in community rather than trying to navigate life alone?
Read
During this series, we are encouraging everyone to be reading and re-reading Ephesians each week. There are only six chapters in the letter, so reading a chapter each day won’t take very much time. As you read, ask the Spirit to help you see yourself in the text, and to answer the questions, “Who am I, and who is God asking me to be?”
Together, let’s see what the Spirit does as we repeatedly spend time in Ephesians during the week, and then unpack it as a church each Sunday.
If it’s helpful, your community can set up a time of recurring check-in to hold each other accountable.
Practice
This week, set aside about 15 minutes to spend in listening prayer, reflecting on the road that lies behind you and asking God to lead you into what’s next.
Begin by finding a quiet, comfortable place. Take a slow breath in, then release it. Ask the Holy Spirit to meet you in this moment and make you attentive to God’s presence. You might pray simply, “Lord, I’m listening. Help me notice where you have been at work in my life.”
First, look back. Gently reflect on your journey, both the steady seasons and the bumpy roads. Where have you seen God guide, correct, provide, or surprise you? Thank him for his faithfulness, even in moments that felt messy or unclear. Let gratitude ground you in the reminder that you do not walk alone.
Next, look inward. Ask God, “Is there anywhere in my life where I’ve been listening, but not fully obeying?” Sit in silence for a minute or two. If something comes to mind, resist the urge to judge yourself. Instead, receive God’s grace. Remember that Jesus meets us with invitation, not condemnation. Take note of anything that comes to mind.
Finally, look ahead. Open your hands as a physical posture of surrender and pray, “God, where are you leading me next?” Don’t strain for an answer, but simply pay attention to any word, image, scripture, or gentle nudge that surfaces, taking note of what God is saying.
Close your time with a prayer of thankfulness and by asking for courage to follow wherever Jesus is leading you, trusting that the same God who has carried you this far will guide you forward.
Come to your next community meeting ready to share about your experience.
Pray
End by having someone read Ephesians 2:8-10 as a prayer over the group.
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Pray
Gather together as a community in a comfortable setting, then have one person read Ephesians 1:3-6 and invite the Holy Spirit to guide your time.
Recap
Paul opens his letter to the Ephesians with what can be described as a sweeping shout of praise. It’s as if he’s starting the story by first presenting the grand finale, starting the symphony with the climatic flourish. In this incredible opening, Paul writes of a God who blesses his people and invites them into relationship rather than demanding fearful devotion. He says that God chose, from the foundation of the world, to create a holy and redeemed people through Christ, which was an act rooted in love and meant to inspire worship.
But the predestination that Paul writes of is not about God selecting certain individuals for salvation while condemning others. Instead, it’s about God’s longstanding plan to form a covenant family. Drawing on the story of Israel, Paul frames adoption, redemption, and deliverance as part of God’s ongoing mission to restore all creation. Holiness is less about rule-keeping and more about being set apart as a transformed people who live into the identity God has already given them.
Against a backdrop of cultural division, suffering, and anxiety, Paul begins with victory and hope. God is actively bringing unity to heaven and earth through Christ. While the world is undeniably broken, the story is still moving toward redemption, and believers are written into that story. This assurance invites all of us who follow Jesus to narrow our focus to faithful obedience within our calling, trusting that God’s invincible love is at work making all things new.
Discuss
Discuss the following prompts as a group.
If you did it, how was your experience reading the entirety of Ephesians this week?
What does it mean to you that God’s story began long before us and that we are invited into it through Christ?
How does understanding predestination as God forming a people (rather than choosing individuals) change the way you see your faith and belonging?
The teaching described holiness as being “set apart” rather than simply following rules. What might it look like to live out that identity in your everyday life?
In a world full of anxiety and brokenness, how can remembering that God is moving everything toward redemption shape where you place your attention and energy?
Read
During this series, we are encouraging everyone to be reading and re-reading Ephesians each week. There are only six chapters in the letter, so reading a chapter each day won’t take very much time. As you read, ask the Spirit to help you see yourself in the text, and to answer the questions, “Who am I, and who is God asking me to be?”
Together, let’s see what the Spirit does as we repeatedly spend time in Ephesians during the week, and then unpack it as a church each Sunday.
If it’s helpful, your community can set up a time of recurring check-in to hold each other accountable.
Practice
While we are encouraging everyone to read the entirety of Ephesians each week during this series, we are also inviting our church to enter into the ancient practice of Scripture memorization.
In the Hebrew Scriptures, God instructed his people to fix his words on their hearts and minds (Deuteronomy 11:18), and Jesus famously said to his disciples that “a good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (Luke 6:45). When our hearts and minds are filled with the words of God, they become a lamp for our feet and a light for our path (Psalm 119:105), shaping us more and more into the image of Jesus as we walk the road of discipleship.
This week, begin to memorize a portion of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. It could be as simple as a single verse that stands out to you, or it could be a small section or longer passage. The point is to allow the Scriptures to take up residence within you.
One suggestion is to memorize the anchor passage for this series that was unpacked this past Sunday, Ephesians 1:3-14. It’s that grand, sweeping shout of praise that Paul opens his letter with, and is a reminder of our identity and calling in Christ.
Whichever verse or passage you choose, share it with your community so that you can all encourage one another in this practice. Then, spend a few minutes each day over the weeks of this series slowly reading and re-reading the passage, allowing its words to gradually be written on your heart and your mind.
Over the weeks, you may even consider taking time as a community to have each person recite their chosen passage when they have successfully memorized it.
Pray
End by having someone read Ephesians 1:13-14 as a prayer over the group.
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Pray
Gather together as a community in a comfortable setting, then have one person read Ephesians 1:3-6 and invite the Holy Spirit to guide your time.
Recap
As we all know, the human condition is set against the backdrop of a deeply broken world marked by conflict, injustice, and death; realities not only of our present world, but realities of the ancient world and part of the context of the city of Ephesus. And while many worldviews attempt to address this suffering and brokenness through politics, spirituality, or moral striving, Christianity uniquely confronts both present evil and the inevitability of death through the person of Jesus. Paul, writing to the Ephesians from prison, encourages believers by reminding them that their faith exists within a larger biblical story in which God is actively redeeming creation.
In Ephesians 1:15–23, Paul prays that the church would be filled with wisdom, hope, and power. Wisdom is not mere intelligence, but a deep, God-centered understanding that transforms how believers live and love. Hope anchors them in God’s promised inheritance despite a hostile culture shaped by idolatry, empire worship, and social division. And power refers to the very strength that raised Jesus from the dead. A cosmic authority now entrusted to the church, signaling that Christ reigns above every earthly ruler and spiritual force.
This creates a paradox for the Christian life. Believers live between present brokenness and future renewal, and the church will display both beauty and failure because God’s Spirit works through imperfect people. Still, disciples of Jesus are called neither to despair nor complacency. Instead, grounded in Christ’s resurrection, they participate in God’s restoring work now, pursuing justice, reconciliation, and love. And they do this while holding firm to the ultimate hope that Jesus, the true champion, has defeated death and is filling all creation with his presence.
Discuss
Discuss the following prompts as a group.
Take time to share about your week: how was your experience of re-reading Ephesians and memorizing Scripture?
In thinking of this past Sunday’s teaching, where do you most see the tension between the brokenness of the world and the hope of Christ in your own life right now?
Paul prays for wisdom, hope, and power for the church. Which of these do you feel you most need in this season, and why?
What does it practically look like to live as people shaped by resurrection power while still facing suffering, failure, and death?
How can our community embody a “different story” this week, one that reflects God’s renewal through love, justice, and faithful presence?
Read & Memorize
During this series, we are encouraging everyone to do two things:
Be reading and re-reading Ephesians each week so that its words are internalized in your heart and mind. As you read, ask the Spirit to help you see yourself in the text, and to answer the questions, “Who am I, and who is God asking me to be?”
Memorize a portion of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, whether it’s a single verse or a longer passage. We suggest memorizing our anchor passage for this series, Ephesians 1:3-14. It’s the grand, sweeping shout of praise that opens Paul’s letter, and is a reminder of our identity and calling in Christ.
Practice
This week’s practice will center around silence and solitude. Set aside 10-15 uninterrupted minutes to step away from noise, screens, and responsibilities. Find a quiet place where you can sit comfortably and breathe slowly. Begin by simply acknowledging God’s presence with you. You might pray, “Lord, I am here. Help me to be attentive to you.” Let your body settle. When distractions arise, gently release them and return to the awareness that God is near.
After a few minutes of silence, reflect on Paul’s prayer for wisdom, hope, and power (Ephesians 1:17–19). Ask God, “Where are you leading me right now?” Notice what surfaces without forcing an answer. It could be a relationship that needs care, a step of courage, a habit to surrender, an invitation to trust more deeply, or anything else. Hold that impression before God and ask for the wisdom to recognize his guidance, the hope to believe he is at work, and the power to follow where he leads.
Close your time by writing down whatever you sensed, even if it feels small or unfinished. Offer a simple prayer of surrender, something like, “Jesus, help me walk in the direction you are calling me today.” Then carry this posture into your week, remembering that discernment is rarely about dramatic certainty but about faithfully taking the next step with Jesus, who has already overcome the world.
Be ready to share about your experience the next time your community meets.
Pray
End by having someone read Ephesians 1:17-21 as a prayer over the group.
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Pray
Gather together as a community in a comfortable setting, then have one person read Ephesians 2:4-5 and invite the Holy Spirit to guide your time.
Recap
The source of the whole biblical story starts with love. The eternal love shared between the Father, Son, and Spirit is poured out in the creation of humanity, so that God can share his love with others. But as we know, humanity fractured their communion with God. Even so, God refused to abandon the relationship! Instead, God called Abraham with a promise that was never meant to be exclusive, saying “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Centuries later, Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church is set in that same storyline, as the gospel goes out to Gentiles who did not grow up with Israel’s Scriptures, temple, or hope, and who came from a pagan world where the gods were powerful, but not personal or loving.
Paul says that both Jews and Gentiles are separated from God and spiritually dead; that they are caught up in the ways of the world, shaped by sin, and are in spiritual darkness. And yet, rescue is on offer to both, solely because God is rich in mercy. It’s by the grace of God that broken humanity is made alive with Christ and that they are raised with him and seated with him in the heavenly realms. And Paul makes it clear that humans are not saved by their works. Rather, salvation is a gift from God, freely given. But, there’s another essential point Paul makes; while our works do not produce our salvation, the gift of salvation should produce in us good works. He says, “for we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
This Lenten season, we are invited to reflect on the fact that all of us need to be made alive in Christ, that we are all called to be his handiwork and to do the good work of the Kingdom. There is no longer a dividing wall between “Jew and Gentile,” between any culture, background, or history. Instead, the church is called to be united, and to be a living signpost pointing people toward Jesus. And we are also called to discern what part we play in this, what good works God has prepared for us as individuals (often ordinary, local, and faithful things), and to practice humility about what we can and can’t carry, without coercing others or trying to prove our worth. In a world tempted either to retreat into future-only hope or reduce faith to present-only activism, the church is called to a quiet, disruptive love that serves, reconciles, and bears witness that the gates are wide open, and that those who were far away have been brought near.
Discuss
Discuss the following prompts as a group.
Take time to share how it’s going spending time each week in Ephesians and trying to memorize a passage of Scripture.
In Ephesians 2, Paul says we were “dead” but are now made alive by grace. How does remembering what you were saved from shape how you see yourself and others today?
What dividing walls do you see in our context, and what might it look like for our church to embody Christ’s reconciling peace across them?
Paul says we are God’s “handiwork,” created for good works prepared in advance. What specific good work might God be inviting you into in this season?
Where are you tempted toward one extreme: retreating into future-only hope or reducing faith to activism-only in the present? How might the gospel recenter you in a quiet, faithful obedience rooted in grace?
Read & Memorize
During this series, we are encouraging everyone to do two things:
Be reading and re-reading Ephesians each week so that its words are internalized in your heart and mind. As you read, ask the Spirit to help you see yourself in the text, and to answer the questions, “Who am I, and who is God asking me to be?”
Memorize a portion of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, whether it’s a single verse or a longer passage. We suggest memorizing our anchor passage for this series, Ephesians 1:3-14. It’s the grand, sweeping shout of praise that opens Paul’s letter, and is a reminder of our identity and calling in Christ.
Practice
This week, the practice is to sit with Jesus and ask a simple question: What good works have you prepared for me?
Take 10-15 minutes to sit in quiet Scripture meditation and listening prayer with Jesus. Find a comfortable space, free from distraction, and invite the Spirit to guide your time.
Next, slowly read Ephesians 2:1-10, which concludes with Paul saying that we are “God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” If it’s helpful, use the steps of Lectio Divina to read through the passage a few times and take note of anything that stands out to you.
After you’ve read, ask Jesus to speak to you about any good works he may be preparing you for or inviting you into. This may be something completely new, something you’ve done before but set aside for a season, or Jesus may impress upon you that you’re already doing the good works he has called you to do and that he’s simply asking you to remain faithful. There are also no shortages of good works that Jesus invites us into, big and small. Don’t let the bigness of an idea discourage you, or the seemingly smallness of a work to make you feel insignificant. Jesus takes delight when we partner with him in any good work.
If Jesus brings to mind something new that he’s inviting you into, ask him what it would take for you to begin doing that good work (it could be serving your family or community in a specific way, getting involved with a local justice initiative, volunteering with a non-profit; again, there’s no end to the good works Jesus can invite us into). Ask the Spirit to be specific, and then ask him to give you the courage to follow where he’s leading.
Close your time with a prayer of thankfulness.
If you feel that Jesus is leading you in a specific direction, let your community know about it. Ask them to help you create a plan for how you will step into that good work and to encourage you to be faithful to the promptings of Jesus.
Pray
End by having someone read Ephesians 2:13 and then pray over the group.
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Pray
Gather together as a community in a comfortable setting, then have one person read Ephesians 3:10-12 and invite the Holy Spirit to guide your time.
Recap
Ephesians 3 sees Paul reflecting on what he calls the “mystery” of the gospel. What had previously been unknown to the people of God about his plan is finally being revealed, and it’s that, all along, his intention was to unite Jew and Gentile into one family through Christ. Though it might feel like a shocking twist in the story, it was never an afterthought. It was part of God’s design from the very beginning. And so Paul, once a violent persecutor of Christians, marvels that he not only belongs in this story, but that he has been entrusted to proclaim it. His testimony, like many of ours, is one of radical life change, moving away from brokenness towards Jesus. The gospel of Jesus disrupts pride, exposes brokenness, and collapses human hierarchies. And just like Paul, none of us belongs by merit, we are simply here by grace.
At the center of what Paul is saying in this chapter is his prayer that Christ would dwell in the hearts of believers, making his permanent home there through faith. To trust Christ is to be reshaped by his love from the inside out. Paul prays that the church would grasp how wide and long and high and deep Christ’s love is, and be filled with God’s fullness. Love and power, often twisted in the world, are reconciled in Jesus. The power of his love transforms addicts and religious insiders alike, exposing hypocrisy, yet refusing to abandon us. Resurrection hope reframes pain and imperfection, not as evidence that something has gone wrong, but as the very places where grace works most deeply.
When we come to really understand God’s personal affection for us, it produces humility rather than entitlement, just like it did for Paul. And like children welcomed and embraced by Jesus, we do not earn love, we receive it. Religious guilt says God needs our performance. The gospel says we act because we are already loved. The Christian life is not about our achievements, but about being rooted in Christ’s love and letting it flow outward in ordinary faithfulness. We were invited when we did not deserve it. And when that reality settles into our hearts, it frees us to live quietly, gratefully, and to do small things with great love.
Discuss
Discuss the following prompts as a group.
What stood out to you from the most recent teaching?
In Ephesians 3, Paul prays that Christ would dwell, or make his home, in our hearts through faith. In your story, what has it looked like for you to let Jesus settle in and feel at home in your life?
The teaching from Sunday suggests that conflict, suffering, or struggle are not necessarily signs that something is wrong. How does that challenge the way you typically interpret hardship in your life or in the church?
How has the knowledge that you are deeply loved by God and personally invited into his community (not because you earned it), impacted the way you live, relate to others, or view yourself this week?
Read & Memorize
During this series, we are encouraging everyone to do two things:
Be reading and re-reading Ephesians each week so that its words are internalized in your heart and mind. As you read, ask the Spirit to help you see yourself in the text, and to answer the questions, “Who am I, and who is God asking me to be?”
Memorize a portion of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, whether it’s a single verse or a longer passage. We suggest memorizing our anchor passage for this series, Ephesians 1:3-14. It’s the grand, sweeping shout of praise that opens Paul’s letter, and is a reminder of our identity and calling in Christ.
Practice
Sunday’s teaching talked about the testimonies of three different people from varying backgrounds who were each brought into the family of God through their faith in Jesus. Each testimony was far from perfect, and none was free from pain. Even one of the most celebrated authors of the New Testament, the Apostle Paul, realized his story was not about his own high achievement. He counted himself as the least of all believers, but still recognized that the love of God, found in Christ, brought him secure hope and life.
Each of us has a testimony. We have a story about where we were and how God met us there. How he stepped into our brokenness and invited us to experience the healing presence and love of Jesus.
Many of us have thought about and shared our testimony lots of times over the years. Some of us have never really thought about the details of our story, maybe even felt that it wasn’t that significant. But it is significant that Jesus has brought you into the family of God. And our testimony is a beautiful part of our story with God.
This week, the practice is to simply spend time with God reflecting on your testimony. Set aside some time to find a quiet place, free from distractions, and invite the Spirit of Jesus to be with you as you look back on your story. Ask Jesus to bring to mind the ways in which he consistently called you to himself, how he met you in your brokenness, and how your life has changed during the time that you have been following him. Again, no story is without pain, but Jesus is the one that brings comfort and hope, and he will walk with you as you reflect on your story.
After you have spent some time with Jesus looking back on your story and where you’ve been, take some time to talk to him about where you’re going. Your testimony has brought you to this time and place, but your story with Jesus is far from over. Ask Jesus to speak to you about the season ahead, sharing what you want it to look like, and also asking him what he wants it to look like.
If he brings something to mind, take note of it, and consider sharing it with your community the next time you meet.
Close your time with Jesus in prayer, thanking him for the way he called you to himself and that he continues to walk with you through the story of your life.
Pray
End by having someone read Ephesians 3:20-21 and then pray over the group.
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Pray
Gather together as a community in a comfortable setting, then have one person read Ephesians 4:2-3 and invite the Holy Spirit to guide your time.
Recap
In Ephesians 4, the Apostle Paul connects orthodoxy (right belief) with orthopraxy (right practice/living). After celebrating God’s grace and salvation in the earlier chapters, he urges believers to “live a life worthy of the calling” they have received. Christianity, in Paul’s view, is not only a belief or spiritual experience, but a lived way of life marked by humility, gentleness, patience, and love. And this life does require effort (spiritual disciplines, learning, and intentional growth). But, it is also empowered by God’s grace! Following Jesus includes both active practices (like prayer, study, and service) and a deeper, more passive surrender to God’s work in one’s life, especially through suffering, limitations, and circumstances beyond one’s control. True maturity comes as believers learn both to pursue spiritual growth actively and to trust God’s shaping work in seasons they cannot control.
Paul emphasizes that this spiritual formation happens primarily within the community of the church. God gives different gifts and roles to people in the church to equip believers so the whole body can grow into maturity in Christ. As each member contributes, the church becomes unified and stable, rather than easily misled by false teaching or selfish motives. Christian maturity means speaking the truth in love, building one another up, and growing together into the fullness of Christ. This communal growth also involves leaving behind old patterns of life shaped by ignorance and selfish desires and embracing a renewed identity formed by the truth of Jesus.
And since unity is essential to this process, Paul calls believers to actively protect it. Three major threats to church unity are cynicism (or bad faith toward others), self-centeredness instead of self-sacrifice, and unresolved unforgiveness. When believers approach the church as critics, prioritize their own preferences, or hold onto resentment, the community fractures. Instead, followers of Jesus are called to humility, generosity, and repeated forgiveness, mirroring the grace they themselves have received. Christian faith is not about private spirituality. To follow Jesus means that you belong to a family, a shared life in which imperfect people grow together, striving to maintain “the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
Discuss
Discuss the following prompts as a group.
Debrief anything from last week’s practice or Scripture reading/memorization that has been impacting you.
In Ephesians 4, Paul urges believers to “live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” What are some practical ways our daily choices and attitudes can reflect that calling?
The teaching from Sunday described two dimensions of spiritual formation: active spirituality (effort, disciplines, practices) and passive spirituality (surrender, trust, and allowing God to work through circumstances). Which of these feels more natural for you right now, and which is more challenging?
Paul emphasizes that spiritual growth happens in the community of the church, not in isolation. Why do you think unity is so central to Christian formation, and what makes it difficult to maintain in real communities?
The teaching named three major enemies of church unity: cynicism, self-focus, and unforgiveness. Which of these do you see most often in yourself or in church culture, and what would it look like to resist it in a practical way this week?
Read & Memorize
During this series, we are encouraging everyone to do two things:
Be reading and re-reading Ephesians each week so that its words are internalized in your heart and mind. As you read, ask the Spirit to help you see yourself in the text, and to answer the questions, “Who am I, and who is God asking me to be?”
Memorize a portion of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, whether it’s a single verse or a longer passage. We suggest memorizing our anchor passage for this series, Ephesians 1:3-14. It’s the grand, sweeping shout of praise that opens Paul’s letter, and is a reminder of our identity and calling in Christ.
Practice
This week, practice holding together the two movements of discipleship Paul talks about in Ephesians 4: active effort and trusting surrender. Three times this week, set aside 10-15 minutes for a simple rhythm of Scripture reading, reflection, and prayer.
1. Begin with Scripture (Active Practice)
Read Ephesians 4:2-3 slowly:
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
Read it a second time, and ask: Where might God be inviting me to practice humility, patience, or unity today? Write down one small action you can take (encourage someone, forgive someone, serve quietly, listen well, etc.).
2. Practice Surrender (Passive Trust)
Next, sit quietly for a moment and bring to mind something in your life that feels beyond your control. This could be some stress, disappointment, limitation, or pain. Then, pray something like:
“God, I entrust this to you. Help me accept what I cannot control and follow you faithfully today.”
Release the situation to God, asking for the grace to trust his work in you.
3. Live One Intentional Act of Unity
Now, consider how you might take one concrete step this week that builds unity in the church (forgive someone, assume good intentions, serve someone in your church, encourage a fellow believer, etc.). Think about this as an act of “effort to keep the unity of the Spirit.” Make a plan on how you will take this step in the coming days.
4. End with Reflection and Prayer
At the end of your time, briefly ask yourself these questions:
Where can I actively follow Jesus today?
Where do I need to surrender and trust God?
How am I contributing to unity or love in my community?
Close your time in prayer by thanking God for his grace, remembering that both our effort and our growth ultimately come from him.
Be ready to share about your experience the next time your community meets.
Pray
End by having someone read Ephesians 4:4-6 and then pray over the group.
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Pray
Gather together as a community in a comfortable setting, then have one person read Ephesians 5:1-2 and invite the Holy Spirit to guide your time.
Recap
In his letter to the Ephesian church, Paul celebrates how God reconciles not only individuals to himself through Jesus Christ, but also people to one another across deep cultural and ethnic divisions. But he also recognizes that this new, multicultural church community still carries the baggage of human sin and historical conflict, making life together pretty messy. So, Paul urges those in the community to “put off the old self” and “put on the new,” emphasizing that discipleship requires visible changes in behavior. The Christian life, he argues, will always run counter to prevailing cultural norms because it challenges humanity’s natural tendency toward selfishness and exploitation.
Paul talks about multiple areas where our transformed life should be evident, and he touches on some topics most of us usually like to avoid: sexuality, money, our priorities, and the way we speak. He says that any sexual behavior outside of God’s design of a lifelong, monogamous marriage between a man and a woman doesn’t line up with the way of Jesus. But that doesn’t mean marriage is the only context for a person to be whole and to experience the fullness of relationship with Jesus! In order for our sexuality to be consistent with the teachings of Jesus, both marriage and celibate singleness are valid and honorable paths. Either way, Paul’s concern is not prudishness, but the belief that disregarding God’s design ultimately harms individuals and the community. Paul also warns against greed, dishonesty, gossip, bitterness, and vulgar speech, which are behaviors he connects to idolatry because they place personal desires above God’s will. These practices damage the unity of the church. But followers of Jesus are called to speak truthfully, build one another up, practice forgiveness, and cultivate gratitude.
Ultimately, Paul describes the church as a sort of alternative moral fellowship, a community visibly different from the surrounding culture. Christians are to live as “children of light,” rejecting destructive habits. Instead, they should be filled with the Spirit, and seek to build one another up by expressing worship, gratitude, and mutual encouragement. The goal, of course, is not moral superiority or rigid rule-keeping! Instead, it’s a life shaped by God’s grace and forgiveness. Just as God forgave humanity through Christ, believers are called to embody that same forgiveness within their community. By practicing this distinct and loving way of life, the church becomes a testimony to the transforming power of the gospel and invites others to experience the restoration found in knowing God.
Discuss
Discuss the following prompts as a group.
Debrief anything from last week’s practice or Scripture reading/memorization that has been impacting you.
In Epistle to the Ephesians 4–5, Paul calls believers to “put off the old self” and “put on the new.” What are some practical ways people today can recognize and replace old patterns of behavior with a Christ-centered way of living?
The teaching highlights areas like sexuality, money, speech, and priorities as places where Christian life should look different. Which of these areas do you think most strongly shapes the health and unity of a community, and why?
Paul describes the church as an alternative community. What might it look like for a Christian community to be clearly different from the surrounding culture without becoming judgmental or isolated?
The teaching from Sunday emphaized forgiveness and grace as central to Christian community because of what Jesus Christ has done. How can practicing confession and forgiveness regularly transform relationships within families, friendships, or churches?
Read & Memorize
During this series, we are encouraging everyone to do two things:
Be reading and re-reading Ephesians each week so that its words are internalized in your heart and mind. As you read, ask the Spirit to help you see yourself in the text, and to answer the questions, “Who am I, and who is God asking me to be?”
Memorize a portion of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, whether it’s a single verse or a longer passage. We suggest memorizing our anchor passage for this series, Ephesians 1:3-14. It’s the grand, sweeping shout of praise that opens Paul’s letter, and is a reminder of our identity and calling in Christ.
Practice
This week, set aside 30-45 minutes of quiet time to prayerfully reflect on your life in light of Ephesians 4:25-5:20. The goal is not self-condemnation, but honest reflection and a renewed commitment to following Jesus. During your time, move slowly through the elements listed below.
1. Silence and Prayer (5–10 minutes)
Begin by sitting quietly before God. Take several slow breaths and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what is true about your life. Pray something simple like: “Lord, help me see my life honestly and receive your grace.” Read Ephesians 4:25–5:20 slowly once or twice.
2. Self-Examination (10–15 minutes)
Reflect on Paul’s categories from the passage: speech, sexuality, money/greed, anger, forgiveness, and sobriety. Ask yourself:
Where have I seen growth or faithfulness recently in these areas?
Where have old patterns or desires resurfaced?
How have my choices affected others in my family, friendships, or church community?
If it’s helpful, write a few honest observations in a journal.
3. Confession and Gratitude (10 minutes)
Bring whatever surfaced to God in prayer. Confess areas where your life has drifted from the way of Jesus, trusting in the forgiveness made possible through him. Then intentionally thank God for specific ways he has already been at work in your life, even in small steps of growth.
4. Put On the New Self (10 minutes)
Choose one concrete practice for the coming week that reflects the new life Paul describes. For example:
Practicing encouraging speech instead of criticism
Making peace with someone you’re holding resentment toward
Exercising generosity with money or time
Choosing sobriety and clarity of mind
Write down the action and pray for the strength to live it out.
End by thanking God for his patience and grace, asking that your life would increasingly reflect the love and holiness of Jesus. Consider sharing your chosen practice with someone from your community or another trusted friend for encouragement and accountability.
Pray
End by having someone read Ephesians 5:18-20 and then pray over the group.
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Pray
Gather together as a community in a comfortable setting, then have one person read Philippians 2:3-4 and invite the Holy Spirit to guide your time.
Recap
In his letter to the Ephesian church, Paul calls for Christians to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” And this instruction isn’t meant for just one type of person, it’s addressed to the entire church. Men and women, servants and masters, parents and children, Jews and Gentiles; all are called to mutual submission. Following the way of Jesus is inherently relational, and our faithfulness cannot be lived out in isolation. The community of the church is a web of relationships; friendships, families, marriages, co-laborers. But Paul doesn’t seek to reinforce the oppressive power dynamics often seen in culture. Instead, he challenges them by grounding all our relationships in the self-giving love of Christ.
Understanding this helps us to understand Paul’s vision for marriage, which has its foundation in the story of Genesis. Humanity, both male and female, is created equally in God’s image and given a shared mandate to rule creation together. The domination often seen between men and women is not God’s design, but is a result of the fall, where relationships become distorted into power struggles. It’s with this understanding that Paul writes into a first-century culture where men held nearly all social power. His command that wives submit to husbands is directly connected to the prior command of mutual submission. At the same time, husbands are commanded to love their wives “as Christ loved the church,” meaning they do it with radical self-sacrifice, humility, and service. In Paul’s way of thinking, authority is redefined by the example of Jesus, who used his power not to dominate but to give himself away.
The result, then, is a radically different vision of not just marriage, but of the entire Christian community. Rather than fighting for who holds power, Paul calls believers to surrender their power in love. Husbands and wives are not competing for control, but racing to serve one another, each seeking the good of the other above themselves. This mutual, Christ-shaped submission breaks down both oppression and power struggles. Because when followers of Jesus consistently imitate Christ’s humility, valuing others above themselves, the usual hierarchies and conflicts that divide people begin to erode. In a world obsessed with gaining power, the church becomes a countercultural community where power is willingly laid down in self-sacrificial love.
Discuss
Discuss the following prompts as a group.
Debrief anything from last week’s practice or Scripture reading/memorization that has been impacting you.
Paul tells his readers to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” What do you think mutual submission looks like in everyday relationships and what are some practical ways someone might “give themselves away” for the good of another person?
Genesis 3:16 teaches us that domination between men and women is a result of sin, not God’s original design. How does that idea reshape the way you think about marriage or relationships?
Sunday’s teaching said the question for Christians is not “How do we gain power?” but “How do we give it away?” Where might God be inviting you to lay down power or privilege in order to serve someone else?
Read & Memorize
During this series, we are encouraging everyone to do two things:
Be reading and re-reading Ephesians each week so that its words are internalized in your heart and mind. As you read, ask the Spirit to help you see yourself in the text, and to answer the questions, “Who am I, and who is God asking me to be?”
Memorize a portion of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, whether it’s a single verse or a longer passage. We suggest memorizing our anchor passage for this series, Ephesians 1:3-14. It’s the grand, sweeping shout of praise that opens Paul’s letter, and is a reminder of our identity and calling in Christ.
Practice
This week, the goal is to practice the way of mutual submission by doing three simple things each day: prayer, intentional service, and self examination.
1. Morning Prayer (5–10 minutes)
Each morning, begin with a simple prayer of surrender. Pray something like:
“Jesus, you gave yourself away for me. Teach me today to value others above myself and show me where I can lay down my power, preferences, or comfort in love.”
Sit quietly for a moment and ask the Spirit to bring to mind a person (your spouse, a friend, a coworker, a family member, etc.) whom you can intentionally serve that day.
2. Midday Practice of Service
During the day, look for one concrete way to give yourself away for the sake of someone else. It doesn’t have to be big or dramatic. It could simply be listening carefully to someone, doing a task someone else normally carries, offering encouragement, apologizing, or helping without being asked. The goal is not recognition, but the imitation of Jesus’s self-sacrificial love.
3. Evening Examen
At the end of the day, take a few minutes to reflect with God, asking yourself the following questions:
Where did I choose humility and service today?
Where did I cling to my own comfort, rights, or control?
What might love look like tomorrow in similar situations?
End your time of reflection by thanking God for his grace and asking for strength to continue learning the way of Jesus and self-sacrificial love.
When we do this type of practice each day, the rhythm of it trains our hearts to ask a new question in every relationship; not “How can I get my way?” but “How can I give myself away in love?”
Be ready to share about your experience the next time your community gathers together.
Pray
End by having someone read Ephesians 5:21 and then pray over the group.
